Jordan's Track Talk

Category: Formula E

  • Round 9 – Monaco E-Prix

    FP1-

    Jaguar TCS Racing’s Mitch Evans went fastest in the first session of the day, with a time of 1m13.361s. Stoffel Vandoorne was 0.126s behind him. Maximilian Guenther finished in third.

    The session was quickly under yellow flags as the Avalanche Andretti of Andre Lotterer had an unusual off at Mirabeau. The car and driver were unharmed, all Porsche-powered cars were grounded for the first half of the session, which quickly got resolved.

    Regular running resumed most of the session, with the drivers wanting to get as much track time as possible around the iconic circuit.

    However, Mahindra Racing’s Lucas di Grassi brought out yellow flags as he spun at Sainte-Devote. As well as locking up and damaging his front wing, di Grassi struggled to get going but eventually limped back to the garage.

    FP2-

    Maximilian Guenther kept Maserati MSG Racing’s home crowd happy in the final session before qualifying. With a time of 1m.29.269s, which was already six-tenths quicker than Mitch Evans times needed for the Julius Baer Pole Position here last year.

    Behind Guenther was Evans, who topped the timesheets in FP1 the +0.007s difference just shows how tight the competition is. Avalanche Andretti’s Jake Dennis finished in third.

    Unlike Free Practice 1, all cars were quickly out on track for the day’s second session. Berlin race winner, Nick Cassidy had limited running after he complained about massive vibrations under braking on the radio. He eventually got back out on track but finished the session in 21st.

    Qualifying-

    It was a battle of the rookies for the finals, as Fenestraz and Hughes went up against each other for Julius Baer Pole Position. It was Sacha Fenestraz who grabbed pole as the McLaren driver made a mistake coming out of the tunnel, but the Nissan driver had his lap time cancelled for power usage, so Jake Hughes will be starting on pole position.

    The DS Penske duo of Jean Eric Vergne and Vandoorne went quickest at the start of Group A. However, both were placed under investigation for a technical infringement and pitted soon after. In the end, neither of them made it through to the Duels and eventually their lap times were all cancelled as a result of a tyre pressure violation.

    Porsche’s Antonio Felix da Costa, the winner here in Monaco in Season 7 had a disastrous start to his session, after reporting front left damage, which resulted in him making a quick stop in his teams garage.

    The full top 10 are: Pole: Hughes, P2: Fenestraz, P3: Nato, P4: Guenther, P5: Ticktum, P6: Evans, P7: Mortara, P8: Sette Camara, P9: Cassidy and P10: Lotterer.

    Round 9-

    Nick Cassidy, Envision Racing fired to the top of the ABB FIA Formula E World Champiosnhip with a storming drive from ninth on the grid to the race win in an absorbing 2023 Monaco E-Prix.

    Cassidy led home Mitch Evans (Jaguar TCS Racing) having fended off his countryman until a late race Safety Car made the win certain for the Envision racer. Jake Dennis (Avalanche Andretti) couldn’t quite live with the lead pair, but he drove from 11th on the grid to grab the final podium spot.

    Long time Drivers’ World Championship leader, Pascal Wehrlein could only improve to 11th from 12th at the outset – the Porsche 99X Electric still has the performance within but unlocking it consistently over a lap and in qualifying appears to be an ongoing and potentially costly issue.

    With 21 laps in the books, Guenther’s car came to a halt at Casino Square – Ticktum having moved to defend in front of the Maserati MSG Racing driver and the German driver running squarely into the back of the NIO 333.

    The full top 10 are: P1: Cassidy, P2: Evans, P3: Dennis, P4: Fenestraz, P5: Hughes, P6: Ticktum, P7: Vergne, P8: Buemi, P9: Vandoorne and P10: Bird.

    We now have a little wait until the next race, with just under 4 weeks till the Jakarta E-Prix for Round 11 & 10 on the 3rd and 4th of June.

  • Monaco Preview

    The ABB FIA Formula E World Championship makes its sixth visit to the most iconic street circuit in motorsport, we are in Monaco this weekend for Round 9.

    The streets of the Principality have played host to some of the biggest moments in motor racing history and Formula E itself has arguably showcased the best of motorsport in Monte Carlo since it switched to the Grand Prix circuit a couple of years ago.

    Season 6 champion Antonio Felix da Costa claimed victory in season 7 in an absolute classic – undoubtedly one of the most exciting races in the history of Formula E, capping a first outing on the full Monaco circuit with an audacious overtake at the exit of the tunnel on the final lap of the race for the win. The race saw 28 overtakes between the top six runners alone, with the lead changing six times.

    If this season is anything to go by, with almost 400 overtakes over the Berlin double header weekend, and a record eight different race leaders in Round 7, then we’re in for a classic…

    The Circuit-

    La Rascasse, Casino Square and Grand Hotel Hairpin – there are few corners that evoke motorsport legend than the winding streets that line the Monaco circuit, its steeped in motorsport tradition and all-electric street racing is made for these streets.

    For the last two seasons, the field has put on a stunning display around the Principality. We’ve seen overtakes galore, battles right up the finish line and some spectacular passes in unexpected locations, passing within inches of each other up the hill at Beau Rivage.

    Take in the energy zapping hill by Mirabeau and the famous Casino Square, round the Grand Hotel Hairpin and through the inimitable Monaco tunnel ahead of the harbourfront chicane. The full 3.3km with its steep hill and high speed sections will again put the field’s energy management skills to the test.

    monaco-track-map-details

  • Round 8 – Berlin E-Prix

    FP3-

    Mitch Evans led the way in a wet Free Practice 3 ahead of the SABIC Berlin E-Prix Round 8, with Gen3 seeing its first outing in rainy conditions, with Saturday’s race winner on it right away.

    Rain fell overnight with a light drizzle in the morning creating a slick track surface for the 22 car field to contend with.

    NEOM McLaren’s Rene Rast required recovery early on with technical issues, other than that brief Red Flag stoppage, it was a valuable, busy session as teams gathered data.

    Mitch Evans put in a 1m 15.955s – some 10 seconds down on FP1’s dry pace – with teammate Sam Bird down in 12th. More encouragement for Jaguar TCS Racing, with its car looking quick in all conditions.

    Qualifying-

    Robin Frijns and ABT CUPRA pulled off one of the shocks of Season 9 so far in Berlin as the Dutchman headed an all-ABT front-row lockout in the first wet qualifying session.

    We saw the ABT CUPRA cars hook it up and finally find their feet, with the stunning front-row lock out in front of the team’s home support. That was Frijns’ second ever Julius Baer Pole Position and a first for the team since its return to the series as well as for partners CUPRA.

    Sam Bird couldn’t replicate his pace from yesterday and failed to make it through to the Duels – a big change from being on the front row the day before.

    Maximilian Guenther also had a poor result, and will start his race towards the back of the grid after finishing last in the Group B qualifying. With it being the first time in five races that he has failed to progress into the qualifying Duels.

    Round 8-

    Envision Racing’s Nick Cassidy picked his moment to hit the front and went on to seal the race win in the SABIC Berlin E-Prix Round 8, as he got the best of a tight field to clamber from eighth to the top set of the podium.

    The unique Berlin Tempelhof Circuit threw up a second intensely tactical race in as many days, brimming with overtakes – 172 in total making for 362 over the weekend.

    The Kiwi started eighth and hit the front on Lap 25, he drove supremely to stay there – setting the pace, given the okay from his engineer on Lap 33, and mastering Formula E’s tightrope of ultimate pace, racecraft and energy.

    Jake Dennis was in striking distance come the chequered flag, just half a second back at the flag but not close enough to topple Cassidy – who now has four podiums on the spin and draws to within four points of standings leader Pascal Wehrlein.

    Wehrlein started sixth, in a stronger position than recent races having complained of poor one-lap pace in qualifying. He did lead a couple of times – the first on Lap 15 – but ultimately couldn’t live with the leader and found himself shuffled to seventh at the race’s end.

    The standout drive was arguably Maximilian Guenther’s from 21st on the grid. The Maserati MSG Racing driver followed up on securing the team’s first podium in Round 7 with a sixth a day later – climbing 15 positions through the pack.

    The full top 10 are: P1: Cassidy, P2: Dennis, P3: Vergne, P4: Evans, P5: Da Costa, P6: Guenther, P7: Wehrlein, P8: Vandoorne, P9: Muller and P10: Ticktum.

    We are back racing in just under two weeks, with our next race being in Monaco on the 6th May for Round 9!

  • Round 7 – Berlin E-Prix

    FP1-

    DS PENSKE’s Stoffel Vandoorne set the early pace in Free Practice 1 at the SABIC Berlin E-Prix. The reigning Drivers’ World Champion popped in a 1m 05.803s at the Tempelhof Airport Circuit which has held the most races in Formula E history.

    A second split the top 20 drivers, with the top nine being separated by only three tenths!

    Behind Vandoorne, it was Avalanche Andretti’s Jake Dennis in second place, with Maserati MSG Racing’s Maximilian Guenther in third.

    The Maserati of Edoardo Mortara brought out a brief yellow flag around ten minutes into the session as his Gen3 car went into the barriers. Later on in the session, Robin Frijns went for a little spin in his ABT Cupra.

    FP2-

    Maserati MSG Racing continued to look strong at the SABIC Berlin E-Prix, as Maximilian Guenther delighted his home crowd by going fastest in Free Practice 2 with the quickest time seen around the circuit – 1m 05.301s.

    Behind Guenther was Envision Racing’s Nick Cassidy in second who is currently on a streak of three consecutive podiums. Double Formula E Champion, Jean-Eric Vergne slotted into third.

    Edoardo Mortara, almost had a repeat of his FP1 incident yesterday. However, only moments later Mahindra Racing’s Oliver Rowland sent his M9Electro into the barriers after a hefty lock up at Turn 1.

    Qualifying-

    Envision Racing’s Sebastien Buemi took a Formula E record 16th, and second Julius Baer Pole Position of the season, much to surprise after making two mistakes on his final qualifying lap and dealing with a recently broken bone in his hand.

    With both Buemi and Bird being powered by the Jaguar I-TYPE 6, it was always going to be close, but it was Buemi who snatched pole by over a tenth to second place Sam Bird.

    NIO 333’s qualifying went from strength to strength after Dan Ticktum joined his teammate into Quarters, who have never had both their cars in Duels stage since it was introduced at the start of Season 8.

    For home heroes, TAG Heuer Porsche, Antonio Felix da Costa ended Group A in 10th, his worst performance in the Groups this year. His teammate, Pascal Wehrlein, could only manage eighth in Group A too – the same he did last time out in Brazil.

    Round 7-

    Jaguar TCS Racing played a blinder with their race strategy to seal a Mitch Evans, Sam Bird one-two in a beautifully chaotic SABIC Berlin E-Prix Round 7 that saw 190 overtakes and a record 20 at the line lead changes and eight different race leaders.

    Throughout the entire race distance, some 43 laps, the field never mind the top 10, proved to be completely inseparable. Dan Ticktum had launched himself into the lead in style with a stunning move around the outside of Turn 1 right by Sebastien Buemi, Sam bird and Stoffel Vandoorne.

    Glancing at the timing screens yielded a different race leader at almost every stage as positions changed left and right, with the first of two spells under the Safety Car compounding things further and seeing the field split by just over five seconds at a little over the halfway stage.

    The Jaguar pair and Buemi then clambered to fill out the top three spots after Guenther had briefly taken P1 as the race headed into its closing stages. The Jaguar powered cars went on to stretch their legs, with Guenther looking to pick up the pieces as the front three squabbled for the race lead.

    The full top 10 are: P1: Evans, P2: Bird, P3: Guenther, P4: Buemi, P5: Cassidy, P6: Wehrlein, P7: Vergne, P8: Lotterer, P9: Mortara and P10: Rowland.

  • Van Der Linde & Evans join Jaguar for Testing

    Jaguar I-PACE eTROPHY Champion, Simon Evans joins Sheldon Van Der Linde, in Jaguar TCS Racing’s Rookie Test line-up.

    Simon Evans, elder brother of Mitch Evans, will return to the iconic Tempelhof Circuit where he was crowned Champion of the 2020 Jaguar I-PACE eTROPHY race series, three years after an epic ‘lockdown showdown’ finale.

    The 32 year old Kiwi will step into the cockpit of the Jaguar I-TYPE 6 as part of his long-awaited prize for winning the all electrical production based race series.

    I’m incredibly excited to be taking part in the official rookie test for Jaguar TCS Racing. The Jaguar family has always meant a lot to me, and I’m really looking forward to this opportunity. It’s the first time I will have been back to Berlin since I won the Jaguar I-PACE eTROPHY at the Tempelhof circuit. It’s definitely going to bring back some great memories. I know the track very well but it’s been a long time since I’ve driven a single-seater. I’m going to enjoy myself, while hopefully getting some valuable data for the team.

    Evans on the opportunity.

    South African, Sheldon Van Der Line, will be joining Evans in his Gen3 test debut. The BMW factory driver has raced in DTM for the last four years and is currently 2022 DTM Champion.

    The 23 year old started karting at the age of six, and gained a wealth of experience and won multiple national titles before moving into cars in 2014. Since then, Sheldon has continued his impressive career and seen success in the ADAC Total 24 hour of Nurburgring.

    I’m very proud to be joining Jaguar TCS Racing for my first rookie test in the Jaguar I-TYPE 6. The rookie test is a really great opportunity for young and upcoming drivers to try new motorsport categories and I’m really looking forward to driving the Gen3 race car for the first time. I’ve visited the team in Grove and have been working closely with the engineers to familiarise myself with the simulator, systems and procedures to be best prepared for what’s ahead in Berlin. From what I’ve heard, Formula E is particularly challenging if you’re a rookie, so it will be great to get some valuable experience in the all-electric racing series.

    Van der Linde on the experience.

    The test is an important day for both teams and drivers and I’m very pleased that we have Simon and Sheldon driving the Jaguar I-TYPE 6. It’s an opportunity to give new and upcoming talent a chance and assessment in the GEN3 race car and for us as a team to continue to build valuable data and insight into this new car. Simon has been a stand-out member of the Jaguar family, racing in the Jaguar I-TYPE eTROPHY for two seasons and ultimately becoming champion in a very competitive season. Mitch is also very proud to see his brother have this opportunity. Sheldon’s resume is without question and we are very pleased to have this very talented young driver in one of our cars. We’re looking forward to seeing how he approaches his time with us and his feedback.

    James Barclay, Jaguar TCS Racing Team Principal.

  • Kvyat & Azcona for NIO 333 in rookie test

    NIO 333 has selected former Formula 1 driver, Daniil Kvyat and World Touring Car champion Mikel Azcona for the Berlin Rookie Test.

    Kyvat raced in F1 as part of the Red Bull stable for six years between 2014 and 2020 at Scuderia Toro Rosso/ Alpha Tauri and Red Bull Racing, securing three podium finishes.

    Since then, he has made three outings in the NASCAR Cup Series last year, and sits second in the FIA World Endurance Championship’s LMP2 category this season.

    I’m really excited to be trying the Formula E car for the first time ever and with NIO 333 Racing. I think Formula E has proved for many years to be a very competitive, high-level championship, with very interesting environmental goals as well. The racing is very fast, and very competitive. The team has also been making a lot of progress, especially this year, and has room to grow and fight for even stronger positions in the future. It’ll be interesting to see what we can do together at this test.

    Kvyat on the test.

    Spaniard, Mikel Azcona will appear alongside Kvyat in the sister ER9 at the test. The touring car specialist won the WTCR FIA World Touring Car Cup last year, and is a twice European touring car champion in TCR EUrope.

    Azcona also went two seasons competing in the FIA ETCR eTouring Car World Cup, where he was a three-time event winner in the electric touring car series, which featured rear-wheel drive EVs competing at up to 500kW of power.

    It’s a really nice feeling to be at the Rookie Test, and I’m very grateful for the opportunity that NIO 333 has given me. It’s something new for me in my career, and it’s my first time driving a single-seater since 2012. So I really want to improve my skills there, and I really want to learn about this new technology. It’s going to be interesting seeing what I can bring from my time in electric touring car racing, which was also new to me, but where I was very competitive. Some of the technology is similar in theory, but I’m expecting it to be quite something else when I get into the Formula E car.

    Azcona on the opportunity.

  • DS Penske confirm Shwartzman & Stevens

    DS Penske has confirmed Will Stevens and Robert Shwartzman for the Rookie Test on the 24th April.

    Stevens started his career as a European and Asia Pacific Karting champion, through the top junior single seater categories before impressing enough to make it to Formula 1.

    He them moved into sportscars and endurance racing in 2016 – joining the FIA World Endurance Championship’s LMP2 category, where he’s sealed multiple wins and podiums as well as the 2023 title as well as a win at Le Mans.

    I am really happy to be taking in a new challenge in Formula E with DS PENSKE. This is completely different from any other race series I’ve been in, but I am hoping my experience in many other categories will give me a head start as a rookie. I have a sense of what the car is like from the work I have done in the simulator so far and look forward to the challenge ahead. I am curious to try it first hand, especially around such a unique track that is Berlin. Together with some of the best drivers and manufacturers in the world makes it an exciting place to be.

    The 31 year old on the experience.

    Shwartzman is currently a reserve driver for the Scuderia Ferrari Formula 1 team. He started early, at the age of five in karting and up the ladder to Formula E.

    Three wins and 10 podiums saw him take the FIA Formula 3 crown in 2019, and a move to Formula 2 followed, where he finished runner-up in 2021.

    I am thrilled to get the chance to drive a Formula E car, and I thank Jay Penske for giving me this opportunity. This championship is a very interesting, growing platform, it has quite a different approach compared to other racing series but that’s why it’s fascinating. As a driver I’m always keen to be able to gain experience with different cars and this test offers me the chance to try a new kind of single-seater in a year that sees me involved in Formula 1 as third driver and in GT racing as an official driver of Ferrari. To get to do my Formula E debut with the most awarded manufacturer on the grid makes this particularly special. I am also very excited to work alongside this team, who have been very welcoming, and shares with me the will to succeed in every aspect of the sport!

    Shwartzman on the opportunity.

    It is always a special moment for the team to host talented drivers and give them their first taste of Formula E. This event is an amazing opportunity to see how they perform in a Formula E car. I am very excited to have Robert and Will behind the wheel of our GEN3 car, they have both demonstrated their raw speed and racecraft throughout the single-seater categories. Robert is a fierce competitor and Will has impressive technical skills, their mindsets fit perfectly with DS PENSKE and I am glad to have them in the team for this test!

    Jay Penske, Owner and Team Principal of DS PENSKE.

  • Mahindra Racing choose rookies

    Mahindra Racing has confirmed Jehan Daruvala, Jordan King and Roberto Merhi will drive for the team at the Berlin Rookie Test.

    Merhi, who raced for Manor Marussia F1 Team during the 2015 season, joins the Banbury based outfit in Berlin for his first taste of electric motorsport.

    A successful single-seater career saw the Spaniard win races across Formula Renault, Spanish F3, British F4 and Formula 3.5 Euro Series before progressing into Formula One, first as a test driver and then a competing driver.

    Since then, he has advanced into sports cars and endurance racing, finishing third in the Asian Le Mans Series Drivers’ Championship in 2020.

    I’m very happy to make my debut in Formula E with the Rookie Test in Berlin. I would really like to thank Mahindra Racing for trusting me. I will put in all my effort to do a good job for the team. Adapting to a new challenge is exciting and I look forward to it.

    The 32 year old on the test.

    The Berlin test event will be Reserve Driver Jehan Daruvala’s first official outing in the M9Electro, after joining Mahindra Racing at the start of the season. He has since shadowed the teams drivers, Lucas di Grassi and Oliver Rowland in Diriyah and Hyderabad earlier this year.

    The young Indian racer has impressed in recent years competing in FIA Formula 2, scoring multiple wins and podiums, most recently achieving two third-placed finishes during the Saudi Arabia Grand Prix weekend.

    The GEN3 is the fastest Formula E car yet and I’m really excited to be given the chance to drive it in Berlin. My role as Reserve Driver means I have already driven laps in the simulator, and I can’t wait to get behind the wheel of the M9Electro for real. As an Indian, I’m especially proud to be driving for the only Indian manufacturer on the grid and I’m really grateful to Mahindra Racing for giving me this opportunity.

    Daruvala on the test.

    Formula 1 development driver, Jordan King has been Mahindra Racing’s Simulator and Development Driver since 2021.

    The 29 year old has enjoyed a strong single-seater career, wining the 2013 British F3 Championship and competing in GB2, F2 and IndyCar as well as working with the Manor Marussia and Alpine F1 teams.

    I’m really looking forward to getting in the car and continuing the development work we’ve been doing behind the scenes. It’ll be good to take the weekend’s simulator work straight to the track on Monday morning and carry on the progression and learning. As always, I’m grateful to the team for the opportunity to represent them and I can’t wait to get out there.

    King on the opportunity.

  • Drugovich & Barter to drive for Maserati in Rookie Test

    Maserati MSG Racing has secured reigning FIA Formula 2 champion, Felipe Drugovich and FIA Formula 3 racer, Hugh Barter for the Berlin Rookie Test.

    Felipe Drugovich is one of the most promising young driver on the junior single-seater scene. The Brazilian commenced his professional racing career in 2016 and quickly tasted success by winning MRF Challenge Formula 2000 in the 2017/18 season.

    Felipe secured back to back titles in 2018 by triumphing in Euroformula Open and Spanish Formula 3 and joined Formula 1’s support bill in 2020 by competing in F2.

    In a campaign marked by five wins and 11 podiums, Drugovich dominated the 2022 season to seal the Drivers’ Championship by an impressive 101 point margin over his next nearest rival.

    The 22 year old is currently the Reserve Driver for Aston Martin and McLaren in F1 and most recently represented the former during 2023 pre-season testing in Bahrain.

    I can’t wait to get my first taste of the Maserati Tipo Folgore and Gen3 Formula E in Berlin. Formula E is a category that has always fascinated me, and it will be intriguing to experience the differences of a fully-electric car in comparison to the single-seaters I’ve raced in recent seasons. Knowing that I will be playing an active role in the development of such an iconic brand, in its first season back in World Championship motorsport, is a huge honour. I’m very excited.

    Drugovich on the opportunity.

    Australian-Japanese racer Hugh Barter first sat behind the wheel at the age of six, and after excelling on the go-karting scene, stepped up to single seater in 2021.

    He was runner-up in French F4 after scoring 12 wins and 22 podiums in the series across two seasons and finished as the runner-up in Spanish F4 last season.

    For 2023 he joined the F1 support bill, by making his competitive debut in FIA Formula 3, driving for Campos Racing.

    I would like to thank Maserati MSG Racing for giving me the opportunity to experience Formula E for the very first time. I’ve really enjoyed my experience in the sim so far and I can’t wait to get out on the track in Berlin. Working closely with James, Edo and Max will be an invaluable learning experience for me, especially at this stage of my career.

    Barter on his first experience of Formula E.

    We’re delighted to welcome Felipe [Drugovich] and Hugh [Barter] to the team for our rookie test in Berlin. It provides a key chance for the next generation of racing talent to experience electric motorsport for the first time. In Felipe and Hugh, we’ll have a driver line-up formed from experience and youth. We can’t wait for them to take to the track in the GEN3 car in Berlin.

    James Rossiter, Team Principal Maserati MSG Racing.

  • ABT Cupra confirm Tramnitz & Tambay for rookie test

    Adrien Tambay and Tim Tramnitz will join ABT Cupra for the Formula E Rookie Test in Berlin next Monday, 24th April.

    Tambay, the reigning champion of ETCR from France and German Tramnitz, who is only 18 years old, will get the chance to get to know the third generation of the purely electric single-seater on the track in Berlin for one day.

    Both drivers have already familiarised themselves with the circuit in the simulator in Kempten.

    We’re looking forward to spending the day together with these two guys. The aim is for them to have fun, get to know Formula E and at the same time gather data that will help our engineers prepare for the second half of the season. Adrien, who previously competed for ABT in the DTM, returns for a day as a seasoned champion in CUPRA colors. And Tim has often proven his talent as a supported driver of the ADAC Sports Foundation – now I’m excited about the Formula E test.

    ABT CEO and Team Principal, Thomas Biermaier.

    Tambay completed a total of 66 DTM races for ABT between 2012 and 2015 and celebrated the title in the ETCR electric touring car championship with CUPRA last year.

    It’s a great feeling to work with the guys again and see a lot of familiar faces. After successful years in touring cars, it’s also exciting to be back in a single-seater, continuing my journey with CUPRA. I’m delighted to have the trust of ABT and CUPRA and will do my best to support the team in their comeback year.

    Tambay on his opportunity.

    Tramnitz is a Motorsport Team Germany supported squad driver and has been part of the ADAC Sports Foundation squad for six years, including finishing runner-up in the Italian and German Formula 4 championships in 2021.

    I am really looking forward to the rookie test in Berlin. For the opportunity I would like to thank ABT CUPRA especially. The test came about at short notice through the mediation of the ADAC Sports Foundation with Motorsport Team Germany. Together with the ABT team, the foundation is helping me to get to Berlin on Sunday evening after my race in the Formula Regional European Championship in Imola, so that I am ready for action on Monday morning. To be able to gain initial experience in a Formula E race car with such a professional and experienced team as ABT CUPRA is a great opportunity and a special challenge for me.

    Tim Tramnitz on the rookie test.

  • McLaren confirm rookie test drivers

    NEOM McLaren will field Charlie Eastwood and Luke Browning at the official Rookie Test in Berlin on the 24th April.

    Eastwood, from Belfast has built an impressive resume over the past 10 years predominantly in GT and Endurance competition.

    During this time, he became the 2017 Porsche Carrera Cup Great Britian champion, 2019 Blancpain GT Series Endurance Cup (Pro-Am) champion and won the European Le Mans Series – LMP2 Pro-AM in 2022, as well as the Asian Le Mans Series – LMP2 earlier this year. He has also held several reserve and development driver roles.

    I’m absolutely buzzing to drive the GEN3 car at the Berlin Rookie Test. I’ve been fortunate enough to attend some of the races earlier this season, and I really like the championship. I love the complexity of the series, as well as the car itself. I’ve had a taste of it on the simulator and I am sure there will be a lot to learn on the day. I’m super excited and can’t wait to work with the team.

    Eastwood on the test.

    Luke Browning, from Kingsley in the UK, is the 2022 Autosport BRDC Award winner. Looking at his short career so far, Browning grabbed the F4 British Championship in 2020.

    The following year he took part in the ADAC Formula 4 Championship and the Drexler Automotive Formula 4 Cup where he finished 3rd in both. In 2022 the 21 year old took part in the GB3 Championship and ended up winning the Championship.

    Now in 2023, he is competing in his first season of FIA Formula 3 Championship where he currently sits 10th after two rounds.

    I’m really looking forward to be jumping into the NEOM McLaren Formula E car. I’m grateful for the opportunity to gain some experience in very different machinery than usual. I’ll be looking to pick up as much as I can from the successful and experienced team I will be surrounded by. It will be a different style of driving compared to what I’m used to – I don’t doubt I have a lot to learn, but I’m eager to pick it up as quickly as possible. I’m really looking forward to the 24th!

    Browning on the opportunity.

    I am happy to be able to host an official rookie test again this season. It is a good way for us as teams to give talent the opportunity to get a taste of the Gen3 machinery, while being able to evaluate them at the same time. Our line-up is an exciting combination of Charlie, who we’ve been working closely together with for a while now, and Luke, who is an emerging talent. It will be great to see both of them out on track. It’s good to see significant interest in the series, from both up-and-coming talent, as well as established drivers.

    Ian James, Team Principal.

  • Edgar joins Aitken at Envision for rookie test

    FIA Formula 3 driver, Jonny Edgar will join Envision Racing at the Berlin Rookie Test, 24th April completing an all British pairing at the team.

    The talented teenage is currently competing in his third Formula 3 season, having joined the Dutch outfit MP Motorsport ahead of the 2023 Championship.

    The Cumbria native has already gained a wealth of experience across single-seater disciplines. After becoming the European CIK-FIA champion in karting, Edgar raced in Italian F4 in 2019 before winning the German F4 title in 2020.

    Consistent point finishes in successive F4 seasons, with Carlin Buzz Racing and Trident saw MP sign him up for one of their seats ahead of the start of this year’s championship.

    I’m thrilled to be driving for Envision Racing in the Formula E rookie test in Berlin. Formula E is a championship all professional drivers aspire to be in and I’m very thankful to Envision for this opportunity. The team have been very welcoming and I’m very much looking forward to getting on track.

    Edgar on the opportunity.

    We are very pleased to be welcoming Jonny Edgar to Envision Racing for the upcoming rookie test in Berlin. Jonny has a very impressive motorsport CV at such a young age, and we are very excited to see him step into our GEN3 car. The test will give him his first taste of Formula E, whilst also providing our team with valuable data for the remaining races.

    Sylvain Filippi, Managing Director & Chief Technical Officer.

  • Nissan announce rookie test drivers

    Nissan will be giving reigning FIA Formula 3 champion, Victor Martins and multiple Formula 2 race-winner Luca Ghiotto a seat at this month’s rookie test in Berlin on 24th April.

    Ghiotto will be taking to the Tempelhof Airport Circuit, with the former GB3 Series runner up also confirmed as simulator driver.

    The 28 year old has been working in the team’s simulator since the start of the current Formula E season and has a strong racing CV, including six wins in F2.

    I’m really excited to be part of the Nissan Formula E Team, in such an incredible championship. Nissan is a massive brand, which makes this even more special. I can’t wait to feel a Formula E car in real life for the first time. My job as simulator driver is to help the team by testing different settings and programs, as the on-track time in Formula E is quite limited, meaning our data from the simulator can be really important during race weekends. The Rookie Test will definitely aid my work at the factory, as I’ll have a reference and understanding of how the real car feels. So, on top of it being an exciting opportunity for me, it will also help for the next time I’m in the virtual world. The Berlin track looks really fun. I’ve driven it on the simulator and I’m looking forward to getting out there and experiencing it.

    Ghiotto on the test.

    Frenchman Martins is apart of the Alpine Academy – BWT Alpine F1 Team’s young driver program and has already grabbed two podiums and a pole position across the first 3 round of his debut F2 season.

    The 21 year old has impressed many during his junior career, winning the Formula Renault Eurocup title in 2020, before moving up to Formula 3, where he took the 2022 crown.

    It’s a huge honor to be selected for the Rookie Test with Nissan. The team has a close relationship with the Alpine Academy, which I’m a part of, and it’s a great chance for me to experience a Formula E car for the first time. I’ve already been in the simulator and found it really interesting. There’s a lot to learn and I have to use a different style of driving. It’s a great opportunity to keep expanding my skillset across different cars, and I’m excited to give it a try. I’ll look to make the most of the test and learn as much as I can from the team and my time on track.

    Martins on the opportunity.

    We’re really pleased to have Luca on board. He’s been working in the simulator since the beginning of the season so it made sense to give him an opportunity in the car. This will be valuable for the team as the test will benefit Luca in the simulator and give him plenty of experience to help us develop our performance. Victor is a young and promising driver, and we’re pleased to be using our connections with the Alpine Academy and the Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi Alliance. It’s great for the championship to be attracting rising stars like him. He’s making his F2 debut this year and is showing strong signs, so it was a natural choice for us to offer him a chance in the Nissan e-4ORCE 04.

    Tommaso Volpe, Managing Director and Team Principal.

  • Maloney & Lundqvist to drive for Andretti

    Avalanche Andretti Formula E have announced their line-up for the rookie test in Berlin. Representing Andretti will be Formula 2 driver and Red Bull Junior and Reserve driver, Zane Maloney and reigning INDY NXT Champion, Linus Lundqvist.

    The duo will hit the Tempelhof Street Circuit to gather crucial data for Andretti, whilst gaining their first experience of Formula E. Maloney is “very excited” to have been invited to the test and is incredibly grateful to Andretti for making it possible, with him set to “learn as much as I can”.

    Maloney has come on leaps and bounds the past few years, last year he competed in FIA Formula 3 and finished 2nd in his rookie season, he then took the jump up to Formula 2 this year and so far has scored 29 points.

    I’m very excited to be part of the Berlin Rookie Test with Avalanche Andretti Formula E. Driving in Formula E is going to be a new experience for me so I’m very grateful for this opportunity and would like to thank everyone at Andretti for making this possible. I will be trying to learn as much as I can during this test and gain some beneficial experience in the GEN3 car.

    Maloney on the rookie test.

    Since winning the INDY NXT Championship last season, Lundqvist has tested an IndyCar at Texas Motor Speedway, as he continues to search for his next move. The Swiss driver is incredibly talented and has won four titles since 2016, making it understandable on why Andretti has picked Lundqvist.

    Like Maloney, Lundqvist is very excited to get a chance in the new Gen3 car and experience a new series with the Swiss driver now focused on “doing my best to be as prepared as possible”.

    Big thanks to Michael Andretti, JF Thormann, Roger Griffiths and everyone at Andretti for this amazing opportunity. I’m super excited and grateful for the occasion. It will be great to experience a completely new car and series that I’ve not driven in before. I know it’s going to be very different to anything I’ve done before, but I’m doing my best to be as prepared as possible to have a successful test with the Avalanche Andretti Formula E team. I can’t wait to get going!

    Lundqvist on the rookie test.

    The Avalanche Andretti Formula E team are very much looking forward to having both Zane and Linus join us for the Berlin Rookie Test after the doubleheader 2023 Sabic Berlin E-Prix. Both drivers have shown themselves to be highly competitive in their relative endeavors and represent some exciting new talent. Having the rookie test is fundamentally important for raising the potential and possibility of bringing new driver talent to the ABB FIA Formula E Championship. Formula E has fast gained status within the motorsport world as being a very competitive Championship and that makes it very attractive to up-and-coming drivers. It makes sense to have the test at the iconic Berlin-Tempelhof circuit immediately after the race weekend as we will have gathered a lot of data to be able support both drivers with. Zane and Linus will be with us for the duration of the race weekend, so we’re looking forward to integrating them into the team so they can understand how we both prepare for and operate over a race weekend.

    Roger Griffiths, Team Principal.

  • Aitken to drive for Envision, in the Rookie Test

    Envision Racing have confirmed that former reserve driver for Williams, Jack Aitken will be completing the test in one of the teams car at the Tempelhof Street Circuit.

    The rookie test is taking place a day after round eight of the 2022/23 ABB FIA Formula E World Championship in Berlin, with twenty-two drivers set to get their first experience of the series.

    Aitken, will be one of the more experienced rookies; however, it will be the former Williams Racing driver’s first taste of Formula E.

    The 27 year old, will head into the test on the back of winning the prestigious 12 Hours of Sebring, where he partnered former Formula E driver Alexander Sims and Pipo Derani. The British-South Korean driver is “really excited” to hit the track in Berlin and help build on the team’s “great start” to the Gen3 era.

    I’m really excited to be Envision Racing’s rookie driver. It’s a great opportunity for me to get behind the wheel of a Formula E car for the first time – the new Gen3 model looks like a lot of fun to drive. I can’t wait for the opportunity to experience that for myself in Berlin and assist the team with their work as they keep building on what has already been a great start to the season.

    Aitken on driving in the rookie test.

    We are delighted to welcome Jack Aitken to Envision Racing for the official rookie test day in Berlin. Jack has a wealth of talent and experience, and we are very excited that he will be getting his first taste of Formula E with our team. The test day will be hugely beneficial to him as a driver and for us to gather more crucial data for the season ahead.

    Team Principal, Sylvain Filippi.

  • Porsche announce drivers for rookie test

    Constructors’ Championship leaders, TAG Heuer Porsche Formula E Team have announced their full driver line-up for this month’s Formula E rookie test, which will take place a day after the Berlin E-Prix.

    Completing the test for Porsche will be 22 year old Chinese driver, Yifei Ye, who is set to compete in this season’s FIA World Endurance Championship in a customer Porsche 963 hybrid prototype for Hertz Team JOTA.

    Ye does have some experience in single-seater racing but his career nowadays is spent almost entirely in sportscars, with his most recent appearance in a single seater having been in 2020, when he won the Euroformula Open Championship.

    Since the end of 2021, Ye has been a fully supported Porsche driver and is Porsche Motorsport’s Asia Pacific Selected Driver, highlighting the potential the German manufacturer see in him. Despite this, the young Chinese driver is very much looking forward to driving a Formula E car.

    I’ve always wanted to drive a Formula E car and I’m grateful that Porsche is giving me that opportunity. For me, this is an interesting new challenge that I’m really excited to get stuck into. Beforehand, I’ll follow the races in Berlin closely from the pits and try to learn as much as possible from António and Pascal. That will definitely help me to familiarise myself with the Porsche 99X Electric as quickly as possible. With Porsche, I’m concentrating on the WEC for now. But I’m still young and can certainly imagine contesting Formula E races one day. Electric motorsport has a bright future.

    Ye on the opportunity.

    Also completing the rookie test for the German manufacturer is former Formula 2 driver, David Beckmann who is also set to compete at the Jakarta E-Prix.

    Beckmann is Porsche’s official reserve and test driver this season in the all-electric series, with him having the same role for Avalanche Andretti Formula E in Season Eight.

    Following his time driving for Porsche in Berlin, Beckmann is expected to compete in the Jakarta double header for Andretti, with the German filling in for Andre Lotterer who has commitments in the WEC that weekend.

    Being able to drive the Porsche 99X Electric in Berlin just a few days before my birthday is a great present. For me, it’s a fantastic experience to enter the new era of Formula E with Porsche this season. I already got the chance to drive the new Porsche 99X Electric on the racetrack at the official Formula E test in Calafat. It was very impressive. I’m really looking forward to the rookie test and getting to know our car even better. Of course, I also hope to be able to share some useful insights with my team.

    Beckmann on the test.

    The rookie test is a great opportunity to show young drivers what Formula E is all about. It’s also about familiarising them with our Porsche 99X Electric, which is a very complex racing car and not easy to drive. For rookies coming into Formula E, the test offers them a good chance to experience what they’ll come up against in this racing series. As a team, we want to use this event to introduce young drivers to Formula E and see how they perform in a Formula E car. David has already tested for us. Now we’re looking forward to seeing how well Yifei gets on with our Porsche 99X Electric.

    Team Principal, Florian Modlinger.

  • Round 6 – Sao Paulo E-Prix

    Round 6 is now complete, lets take a look at what happened during the first ever Sao Paulo E-Prix weekend.

    FP1-

    Envision Racing’s Sebastien Buemi managed to top the timesheets for the first practice session with a 1m 12.341s, as speeds hit more than 266km/h down the Sambadrome straight.

    Behind Buemi, is the Nissan of Sacha Fenestraz, Formula E’s latest polesitter and holder of Formula E’s fastest ever competitive lap. NIO 333’s Dan Ticktum rounded out the top three, just 0.123s off the time of Buemi.

    All 22 drivers, quickly locked in laps on the new 2.933km circuit. A few brief yellow flags were issued as the grid found the limits of the bumpy track surfaces.

    Robin Frijns of ABT CUPRA returned to the track after he fractured his wrist during the first race of the season. The Dutchman was getting in as much practice as possible and trying to stay out of trouble.

    FP2-

    Nine different teams made the top 10 in Free Practice 2, with Antonio Felix da Costa topping the timesheets with a 1m 11.496s.

    Just behind him, was the Maserati MSG Racing of Maximilian Guenther. And Norman Nato rounded out the top three and was just 0.001s slower than Guenther.

    All drivers were on their best behaviour with the bumpy track, as they didn’t want to waste any time. But several had issues with track limits, with many going off at Turn 1 and Turn 6.

    Qualifying-

    DS Penske achieved their first Julius Baer Pole Position since 2016, as reigning champion Stoffel Vandoorne became the ninth different pole sitter in nine races ahead of the inaugural Julius Baer Sao Paulo E-Prix.

    Vandoorne beat the TAG Heuer Porsche of Antonio Felix da Costa to lock in his first pole since Rome in Season 8. The Belgian driver also topped Group A, which continues a crazy coincidence that the fastest driver in the group has gone on to take pole in the last four consecutive races.

    Standings leader, Pascal Wehrlein finds himself down in 18th having failed to make it to the groups. Home heroes Lucas di Grassi and Sergio Sette Camara also struggled and will be starting at the back of the grid – the former hit a wall, pushing a bit too hard and the latter a bump which forced a reboot car.

    Round 6-

    Mitch Evans led home a first one-two-three for the Jaguar powertrain, with Nick Cassidy (Envision Racing) and Sam Bird (Jaguar TCS Racing) crossing the line together – with the trio just half a second apart.

    The New Zealander took the initiative and the race lead from his compatriot Cassidy as the race headed into four TAG Heuer Added Laps. His move on Lap 32 proved to be decisive, with neither Cassidy nor Evans’ teammate Bird able to undo the leader’s defensive driving.

    Polesitter, Stoffel Vandoorne had led the way early on, fending off Porsche’s Antonio Felix da Costa during the first round of Attack Mode activations until the race reached its half-way stage, with the lead impossible to keep track of on Lap 14 0 three or four changes over that tour alone and Cassidy came out on top.

    The full top 10 are: P1: Evans, P2: Cassidy, P3: Bird, P4: Da Costa, P5: Vergne, P6: Vandoorne, P7: Wehrelin, P8: Hughes, P9: Rast and P10: Buemi.

  • Sao Paulo Preview

    The ABB FIA Formula E World Championship is all set to make it a hat-trick of all new events with the series’ “dream” first outing in motorsport crazy Brazil as we head to Sao Paulo for Round 6 of Season 9.

    Hometown hero and former champion Lucas di Grassi hails from the city and will be joined by compatriot Sergio Sette Camara as Formula E sets for its debut in South America.

    With three long straights connected by tricky chicanes, sweeping corners and tight turns, the circuit is expected to be a challenging affair for the pack, with high speeds anticipated.

    Starting on the main straight that’s usually reserved for carnival floats and revelry, there will be a different type of dancing as the drivers put their toe tapping to use on the brake pedals into the series of sharp turns, that feed to a looping hairpin that fires the field down the straight.

    This straight is broken up with another challenging right-left series of corners to another long straight. The final sector sees more passing opportunities in the run to the finish line.

    circuit-map-saopaulo

    The Championship-

    Looking at the drivers standings, Wherlein still leads the championship by 18 points, and Dennis stays in P2 on 62 points, with Jean-Eric Vergne in third on 50 points.

    If we were looking at a closer battle, you’d be looking at, 4th/5th/6th/7th which is between Da Costa, Cassidy, Buemi and Rast who are all seperated by 7 points.

    Now looking at the teams, TAG Heuer Porsche Formula E team leads on a 126 points, Envision are in second on 84 points and Avalanche Andretti are in third on 80 points.

    Looking at 4th and 5th, Neom McLaren are on 66 points, 1 points behind Avalanche Andretti. Now looking at 5th DS Penske are on 61 points, 5 points between them and McLaren.

    Weekend Schedule-

    Friday 24th-

    • Free Practice 1- 19:25pm – 20:15pm (GMT)

    Saturday 25th-

    • Free Practice 2- 10:25am – 11:15am
    • Qualifying- 12:40pm – 13:55pm
    • Round 6- 17:03pm -18:30pm.

  • Round 5 – Cape Town E-Prix

    Round 5 is here, and we are in Cape Town South Africa for a first time appearance, lets take a look at how the weekend went.

    FP1-

    Maserati’s MSG Racing’s Edoardo Mortara topped the timesheets with a time of 1m 09.700s.

    It’s the first time in Season 9 that one of the Maserati cars have topped a session, despite the team looking strong in pre-season testing. Mortara’s teammate, Maximilian Guenther finished the session in seventh.

    Fresh from a disappointing result last time out in Hyderabad, Jaguar’s Sam Bird was on a mission and finished the session in second, 0.158s off Mortara’s time. Sacha Fenestraz slotted into third on the timesheets to round out the top 3.

    But minutes into the start of the session, Sebastian Buemi brought out the red flags after a heavy impact with the walls of the rapid street circuit between Turn 9 and 10.

    FP2-

    The final session before qualifying ahead of the Cape Town E-Prix, Envision Racing’s Nick Cassidy headed the pack with a 1m 08.118s.

    Cassidy was 0.307s ahead of Maserati MSG Racing’s Edoardo Mortara and some 1.6 seconds faster than the pace set in Free Practice 1’s session.

    Rounding out the top three was NIO 333’s Dan Ticktum with an impressive lap time. As well as the Jaguar cars looking rapid, Mitch Evans and Sam Bird were fourth and fifth.

    Qualifying-

    Nissan’s, Sacha Fenestraz sealed his first Julius Baer Pole Position for the inaugural Cape Town E-Prix, as well as setting the fastest-ever lap in the process.

    Fenestraz managed to beat the Maserati of Maximilian Guenther by over four tenths of a second to set a stunning time of 1m 07.848s.

    Disappointment came for all four Mahindra-powered cars as the quartet were withdrawn due to rear suspension safety concern. As well as a big shunt fro Edoardo Mortara and Sam Bird which brought out the red flag at the end of Group B.

    Round 5-

    Antonio Felix da Costa drove a storming race from 11th on the grid to his first win for TAG Heuer Porsche, after producing a copy of one of the best moves you’ll ever see for the lead, on two seperate occasions.

    The season 6 champion returned to form last time out with third in Hyderabad but this was something else in a properly attritional race at another meg, all new track with only 13 drivers making it to the finish line.

    With the quartet out front nose to tail thanks to Guenther clipping a wall and pulling the car over into retirement, throwing that caution, Cassidy headed Fenestraz by less than half a second with da Costa and Vergne for company.

    On Lap 24, Da Costa produced an outrageous pass to steal the lead from Cassidy at the trickiest part of the track – the Turn 7,8 and 9 combo.

    The Porsche driver then pulled enough gap to take his second mandatory ATTACK MODE and retake the lead but he missed the activation loop.

    Meanwhile, Fenestraz had made it by Cassidy to take a potential podium but heartbreakingly, the Nissan driver hit the wall on the final lap.

    The full top 10 are: P1: da Costa, P2: Vergne, P3: Cassidy, P4: Rast, P5: Buemi, P6: Ticktum, P7: Vandoorne, P8: Nato, P9: Lotterer and P10: Hughes.

  • Cape Town Preview

    The ABB FIA Formula E World Championship makes it two brand new events in a fortnight, with the series’ maiden visit to South Africa and Cape Town for Round 5.

    The inaugural Cape Town E-Prix is Formula E’s first sub-Sahraran African event, with the spectacular Table Mountain providing the backdrop for the second of three consecutive events at new venues to the championship.

    The Mother City’s Green Point district provides the location for the high-speed 2.921km circuit, snaking around the DHL Stadium and skirting the coastline.

    It’s a fast-paced track, with bumpy braking zones, a tight chicane at Turns 4, 5 and 6 with a pacy, eye of the needle section midway around the lap.

    cape-town-track-map-details

    The Championship-

    With a quarter of the season complete, lets take a look at who is leading the championships.

    It’s TAG Heuer Porsche leading the Teams’ Championship, and Pascal Wehrlein leading the Drivers’ Championship. A double-win for the German in Diriyah followed a podium in the season-opener in Mexico City.

    Porsche didn’t have it their way in Hyderabad and neither did Jake Dennis in the Avalanche Andretti. The Brit was uncermoniously removed from a potential top three finish by an overenthusiastic move from Rene Rast.

    The resulting 16th-placed finish proved costly for Dennis – who’d won Round 1 in Mexico and followed it up with two 2nd places in Diriyah – allowed Wehrlein to extend his advantage.

    Jean-Eric Vergne kickstarted his and DS Penske’s season as they picked up the race win and silverware in Hyderabad with a vintage defensive drive.

    Weekend Schedule-

    Friday 24th-

    • Free Practice 1- 14:55pm – 15:45pm (GMT)

    Saturday 25th-

    • Free Practice 2- 07:05am – 07:55am
    • Qualifying- 09:40am – 10:55am
    • Round 5- 14:03pm – 15:30pm

  • Frijns to sit out of Cape Town E-Prix

    After sustaining a hand fracture earlier this season, ABT CUPRA’s Robin Frijns has announced that he will also be sitting out this weekend’s trip to Cape Town.

    So Kelvin van der Linde continues in his spot, and what perfect timing as it’s Formula E’s first visit to South Africa for a ‘home’ Cape Town E-Prix

    Since the incident, which occurred during the first lap of the season-opener in Mexico, Frijns has been sharing updates of his recovery with fans online.

    Frijns had set himself the goal of racing at the upcoming round in South Africa. However, Kelvin van der Linde will continue as the reserve driver for the ABT CUPRA team.

    Frijns who has competed in 77 Formula E races will be hoping he’s ready to race at the next E-Prix which is Sao Paulo on the 25th March.

    We did the preparation in the simulator, which all went pretty smoothly. But after a few more checks on my hand, it seems that my bone has not fully healed just yet. It is a hard one to make, knowing the effort I put into this, but I will be back.

    Frijns on his injury.

  • Hyderabad Preview

    The 2022/23 ABB FIA Formula E World Championship will be making an historic debut in India this weekend, with the city of Hyderabad playing host to Round 4 of Season 9.

    After a pair of storming night races in Diriyah produced a new standings leader and an overtaking masterclass across the second and third rounds of the season. The Hyderabad E-Prix Round 4 provides the next instalment of the Gen3 era and becomes the series’ 30th race location.

    The fourth race of the season, will be held on what is billed as India’s first street circuit, around the shores of the Hussain Sagar lake and by the NTR Gardens.

    A lap of the Hyderabad Street Circuit starts with a high speed lakeside run along the heart-shaped Hussain Sagar lake, before heading towards the first of the key overtaking sports at the Turn 3 hairpin.

    From here the track loops back round from Lumbini Park, where a quick right-left flick launches the pack down a short straight to a sharp left-hander that feeds into a tricky tree-lined series of turns. The final sector sees a short run into a 90-degree right-left chicane, then it’s just a right at the roundabout before the run to the finish line.

    hyderabad-track-map

    The passionate support will have home team, Mahindra Racing to cheer on, with 2017/17 Formula E Champion Lucas di Grassi and teammate Oliver Rowland in the cockpit for the Indian squad.

    It is important for us to have a good race in India – not only for the fans, but for the championship as well. It’s a new track for us, as it is for everyone up and down the grid. It needs to be a good weekend for us. We are going to try very hard and push to the limit to get the best out of the car. We can’t wait to see all the Indian fans out in force to support us and we want to give them a good show.

    Di Grassi on this weekend.

    Heading into Hyderabad we know where we need to improve following a difficult weekend in Diriyah. Having the home fans behind us will add to the motivation we have racing on the team’s home ground. We know they will be fully behind us and supporting us, which will give us the extra push to perform well.

    Added Rowland.

    Weekend Schedule-

    Friday 10th-

    • Free Practice 1- 10:55am – 11:45am (GMT)

    Saturday 11th-

    • Free Practice 2- 02:35am – 03:25am
    • Qualifying- 05:10am – 06:25am
    • Round 4- 09:33am – 11:00am

  • Round 2 – Diriyah E-Prix

    Round 2 is complete, lets take a look at all the action from our first race of the double header.

    FP1-

    A little bit of rain didn’t dampen an action-packed Free Practice 1, with Jaguar TCS Racing’s Sam Bird topping the timesheets.

    Less than a second split the top 10 runners, with DS PENSKE’s Jean-Eric Vergne slotting himself into second and his teammate Stoffel Vandoorne placing himself in fourth. Mitch Evans crossed the line third to make it a one-three result for team.

    There was early drama as Rast was attempting to pass the reigning champion, but ended up making contact with Vandoorne’s car.

    FP2-

    Dan Ticktum led the pack with a time of 1m 10.099s – the first time he’s topped a Formula E session. The Briton also made an impressive 0.202s gap to Envision Racing’s Sebastien Buemi in second place behind.

    The Jaguar TCS Racing powertains looked strong, Mitch Evans crossed the chequered flag third, and teammate Sam Bird followed in fifth.

    Unfortunately for the ABT CUPRA of Nico Mueller, his session was brought to a half after whacking his Gen3 machine into a barrier. The heavy damage, which was sustained to the rear left of the car, saw him immediately forced to pull over and come to a stop.

    Qualifying-

    Envision Racing’s Sebastien Buemi fired to Julius Baer Pole Position for his 100th Formula E race at the CORE Diriyah E-Prix – Round 2, as he beat rookie, Jake Hughes at the last minute.

    Hughes was told to push harder on his outlap to get the temperature up to a more optimal temp, he earlier pipped third-placed Dan Ticktum in the NIO 333 and Lucas Di Grassi (in the quarters).

    Hughes hung it all out on his hot lap and over the half way point of the lap there was nothing between either driver… The McLaren racer pulled it out of the bag over the final sector to fend of a determined Buemi but the Swiss bit back, as he went ahead with a perfect Sector 3.

    Round 2-

    Pascal Wehrlein stormed from ninth to the race win in the 2023 Diriyah E-Prix Round 2, with standings leader Jake Dennis following home in second after working his way through the pack aswell.

    The move for the lead came on Lap 30 at Turn 16, with Bird unable to hold back Wehrlein – both driver and car looking monstrous for a second race on the spin.

    Dennis in the Porsche-powered Avalanche Andretti took the fight all the way to the line all the way back in 11th on the grid but he couldn’t find a way past the race leader.

    Sam Bird was overjoyed to make the podium for the first time since winning in New York City back in Season 7 – calling it a ‘mini victory’ for himself and Jaguar after a tough Season 8 for the Brit.

    The full top 10 are: P1: Wehrlein, P2: Dennis, P3: Bird, P4: Buemi, P5: Rast, P6: Cassidy, P7: Vergne, P8: Hughes, P9: Lotterer and P10: Evans.

  • Diriyah Preview

    The ABB FIA Formula E World Championship heads to Diriyah for Rounds 2 and 3 of Season 9 as we have a pair of night races in Saudi Arabia this weekend.

    The Diriyah Street Circuit, just outside of the Saudi capital, Riyadh, forgoes the permanent circuit layout of the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez in Mexico City for a full street circuit – snaking the historic city’s walls at the UNESCO World Heritage site.

    Its a second new challenge in as many weeks with the snaking, bumpy bobsleigh run of the Diriyah track a favourite of the drivers – and it’s one of the most demanding circuits on the calendar for balancing energy management and outright pace, through drivers have never found overtaking a problem.

    With 21 twists and turns, the 2.495km Diriyah Street Circuit skirts around the historic World Heritage site. The Drivers face a challenging lap from the finish line as a technical first sector leads into the snaking Bobsleigh Run at Turn 6, a series of fast changes in quick succession.

    diriyah-track-map-details

    Last year’s visit to Diriyah saw De Vries win Round 1, as well as his teammate making a 1-2 for the Mercedes EQ team and Edoardo Mortara then won Round 2.

    Weekend Schedule-

    Thursday 26th-

    • Free Practice 1- 14:55pm – 15:45pm (GMT)

    Friday 27th-

    • Free Practice 2- 10:25am – 11:15am
    • Qualifying- 12:40pm – 13:55pm
    • Round 2- 17:03pm – 18:30pm

    Saturday 28th-

    • Free Practice 3- 10:25am – 11:15am
    • Qualifying- 12:40pm – 13:55pm
    • Round 3- 17:03pm – 18:30pm

  • Van der Linde to step in for Frijns

    Kelvin van der Linde will be making his debut in the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship in Diriyah, with the 26 year-old set to replace Robin Frijns as the Dutchman begins his recovery from an injury to his hand.

    Frijns suffered fractures to his left hand in a collision on the first lap of the Hankook Mexico City E-Prix and underwent surgery that same evening in Mexico.

    Since the decision, van der Linde, who also lives in Kempten, has spent every day from morning until late evening at ABT, on data analysis and countless hours in the simulator.

    The South African competed for ABT in DTM in 2021 and 2022 and was a title contender right up to the finale in his debut season.

    He first got a taste of Formula E, at the 2020 rookie test in Marrakesh and is supporting ABT Cupra in simulator preparation this season too.

    Kelvin has been part of the ABT family for years in a variety of roles. He has been involved since the beginning of our comeback project and was intended as Reserve Driver right from the start – so it was immediately clear to us that he would take over from Robin. We are in constant contact with Robin and wish him a speedy recovery. Even though everyone in the team misses him a lot, we’re giving him all the time he needs to fully recover from the injury – that’s our absolute priority. The task and challenge for Kelvin to start in a World Championship without any testing is of course gigantic but he is highly motivated, works hard and the whole team will support him without any pressure.

    Thomas Biermaier, Team Boss.

    To compete in Formula E is a dream of mine – but of course I wanted the circumstances of my debut to be different. I’m very sorry for Robin and I hope he’ll be fit again quickly. I am happy about the trust and the challenge. Now I have a few long days ahead of me and then I will do my best to stand in for Robin as well as possible.

    Kelvin van der Linde, on him stepping in.

  • Round 1- Mexico City E-Prix

    Round 1 is now complete, lets take a look at all the action from our first ever Gen3 race and first round of Season 9.

    FP1-

    There was no hanging about in the first session of Mexico City E-Prix, as all 22 drivers got a chance to lock in laps in their all-new cars…

    With only pre-season testing under their belts the half an hour session, proved extremely valuable for the drivers. Teams will be keen to compare the data from the first practice session to pre-season testing in Valenica.

    Rast saved a big spin in the final moments of the session but was left with damage to his rear-left wheel and suspension. Several drivers, including reigning champion, Stoffel Vandoorne complained of issues with their rear axels locking at certain points around the 19 turn circuit.

    But it was Jean-Eric Vergne who topped the timesheets with a 1m 13.294s, with rookie Jake Hughes following him closely in 2nd and Sergio Sette Camara rounds out the top 3.

    FP2-

    The early morning session, brought a very cold track and air temperature at just six degrees celsius; which is highly unusual conditions for a Formula E race weekend, but it brought a new challenge for the Gen3 cars and Hankook tyres.

    The top 18 drivers were split by just a second, with only 0.865s diving Wherlein at the top of the timesheets and McLaren’s Rene Rast in 17th.

    As seen in FP1, drivers were still finding the limits of their new cars. A handful of drivers were still going straight on at Turn 1.

    But it was Pascal Wehrlein who took the top spot with a 1:13.496, JEV continues his run of good form as he finished second and then Sergio Sette Camara makes it two top 3 finishes as well as he rounded out the top 3.

    Qualifying-

    Mahindra Racing’s Lucas di Grassi strode to Julius Baer Pole Position for the Mexico City E-Prix taking advantage of Jake Dennis’ slip in the final.

    Both Di Grassi and Dennis were fighting hard to keep their cars in check over what set out looking like a scruffy final effort for both drivers. Ultimately, Dennis did fall foul, with a real deep dive into the hairpin at Turn 5 costing him.

    Rookie, Jake Hughes impressed once again with the NEOM McLaren driver winding up third on the grid after bypassing Dan Tickum in a sharp looking NIO 333 in the quarters, the latter lining up fifth. Fellow rookie, Sacha Fenestraz fired his Nissan into eighth after also making the duels.

    Neither DS Penske or Maserati could count a driver in the duels – massive turn around given their benchmark pace in testing. That meant reigning champion, Vandoorne would settle for 14th on the grid with it all to do.

    Round 1-

    Dennis soaked in the adulation of the Foro Sol and the packed grandstands watching on, with ultra-passionate Mexican fans here to be a part of the first race of Formula E’s latest generational leap.

    The Andretti driver made what would be the race-winning move on lap 12. From there, Dennis stretched his legs through three safety car periods, he was able to run away with lead – eventually heading home Wehrlein by a huge seven seconds. Wehrlein produced a storming driver, as last year’s winner pulled out an eventual 11 second margin on third place di Grassi.

    Robin Frijns was one driver who didn’t make it through the first few turns of the race which brought out an early safety car. As he went into the back of Norman Nato’s Nissan at Turn 9, with the ABT driver breaking his wrist.

    One lap after the restart, Sam Bird then grounded to a halt with another technical issue on the inside of Turn 2.

    The full top 10 are- P1: Dennis, P2: Wehrlein, P3: Di Grassi, P4: Lotterer, P5: Hughes, P6: Buemi, P7: Da Costa, P8: Evans, P9: Cassidy and P10: Vandoorne.

    We are back racing in just under two weeks for a double header of night races in Diriyah, Saudi Arabia on the 27th & 28th January.

  • Mexico City Preview

    The season opener is finally here as we head to Mexico for Round 1 of Season 9; the 2023 Hankook Mexico City E-Prix, where we are jumping into the Gen3 era!

    Mexico has always been a mainstay on the Formula E calendar, since its initial appearance. With the first race taking place in Season 2, Mexico City has been on the calendar every season since apart from Season (with Puebla filling the gap).

    The 19 turn, 2.630km circuit is a perfect mix of long, fast straights and a technical infield section that passes right through the legendary Foro Sol stadium – housing tens of thousands of fans.

    With race-ready surface and long corners, Mexico City is not only of the fastest tracks on the calendar but its also the highest at 2,250m above sea level.

    The Mexico City E-Prix will be running on a new track layout with a chicane being added after Turn 8, down the back straight. The 19 turn layout will be the fourth different configuration across the seven Mexico City E-Prix.

    Last years visit to Mexico saw Pascal Wehrlein claim his maiden Formula E victory, with the German leading home Andre Lotterer for a Porsche 1-2.

    The last three Julius Baer Pole Positions in Mexico City have been claimed by German drivers, however pole position isn’t always the spot to be in Mexico, with three of the six pole sitters having failed to make it to the chequered flag.

    Weekend Schedule-

    Friday 13th January-

    • Free Practice 1- 22:30pm – 23:00pm (GMT)

    Saturday 14th January-

    • Free Practice 2- 13:30pm – 14:00pm (GMT)
    • Qualifying- 15:40pm – 16:55pm
    • Race- 20:03pm – 21:00pm

  • TAG Heuer Porsche announce test & reserve drivers

    David Beckmann has joined the TAG Heuer Porsche Formula E Team as its Test and Reserve driver for Season 9, whilst Simona de Silvestro also makes a return in the role.

    Beckmann contested the FIA Formula 2 Championship in 2022 and was Test and Reserve Driver for Avalanche Andretti through Season 8, which will be using Porsche powertrains as a customer outfit in 2022/23.

    He will retain his role this season and Porsche’s factory Formula E squad can now also draw on his expertise.

    We’re delighted that David will be joining our TAG Heuer Porsche Formula E Team as a test and reserve driver. He has spent a considerable part of his young career in single-seaters and has also gained Formula E experience with Avalanche Andretti. We’re excited to benefit from his input and expertise.

    Florian Modlinger, Director Factory Motorsport.

    Beckmann’s colleague Simona de Silvestro joined Porsche in 2019 and will continue as a Test and Reserve driver in Season 9.

    Throughout her career, the Swiss driver has competed in numerous international racing series. After claiming her first single-seater successes in Europe, she then moved to the USA at the age of 18, where she ended up in the IndyCar Series via Formula BMW and Formula Toyota Atlantic.

    Simona de Silvestro has also contested Formula E, driving for Michael Andretti’s team in the 2015/2016 season. In 2014, she was part of Sauber’s Formula 1 team.

  • Turvey joins DS Penske

    DS Penske have announced that Oliver Turvey would be staying in Formula E as a Reserve Driver and Sporting Advisor, having left long-time team NIO 333 at the end of Season 8.

    Turvey, one of the most experienced heads in Formula E, with 90 races under his belt which places him in sixth on the all time table for entries, will join double champion Jean-Eric Vergne and reigning champion Stoffel Vandoorne in pushing the team forward.

    Having been around from Gen1 and Season 1 all the way through to Gen3, Turvey brings immense experience to the table and the team feels he adds considerable weight and know-how to an already strong line-up.

    Oliver not only brings incredible credentials to the team, but an acute racing intellect. He has all the qualities we were looking for with this role. He is experienced and has demonstrated his racecraft throughout the last seasons. We look forward to working with Oliver in Season 9 and beyond.

    Jay Penske, owner and team principal.

    I am delighted to be joining DS Penske as Reserve Driver and Sporting Advisor. It is a real privilege to join a championship-winning team and one of the most successful manufacturers in Formula E history. I am looking forward to working closely with both JEV, Stoffel, and the whole team, using my experience in the series to help them challenge for another championship at the beginning of the Gen3 era.

    Turvey on his new role.

  • Portland added to Season 9 calendar

    The ABB FIA Formula E World Championship is set to race for the first time in Portland, Oregon on 24th June next year, following approval at the FIA World Motor Sport Council meeting.

    Portland will host Round 12 of the updated Season 9 calendar of 16 races in 11 cities, which also includes championship debuts in Hyderabad, India; Cape Town, South Africa and Sao Paulo, Brazil.

    Formula E has raced in the USA every year since Season 1 in 2015, with the exception of COVID-hit Season 6 in 2020. Long Beach, Miami and New York City have previously hosted races.

    Fans attending the race in Portland will see the USA debut of the Gen3 race car. New for Season 9, the Gen3 is the third generation of race car in Formula E and the fastest, lightest, most powerful and efficient electric race car ever built.

    The updated Season 9 calendar reflects the removal of an event previously shown as TBD in May 2023 and means the race programme is complete, subject to FIA circuit homologation of new venues.

    We are excited to bring the premier electric motorsport world championship to Portland for the first time in June next year. There is a big, passionate fanbase for professional sports in the city, together with strong ecological credentials which makes Portland a perfect host for the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship. The USA remains an important market for Formula E. We are delighted to maintain that critical presence and engage a new audience in the Pacific Northwest region in all-electric motorsport.

    Alberto Longo, Co-Founder & Chief Championship Officer.